Pavarotti 'was co-erced into signing US will', claims prosecutor

Wrangles over Luciano Pavarotti's will has taken a dramatic new twist after prosecutors opened an investigation into the possibility that he had been coerced into signing his American will.

The will, released last month, left his entire American estate which included an apartment in New York, a Henri Matisse painting, and furniture to his second wife Nicoletta Mantovani.

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His American patrimony was valued at around £12 million and was signed by the opera star at the end of July just six weeks before died aged 71 from pancreatic cancer.

The American will as it was dubbed established a trust which left his entire US patrimony to Nicoletta, 38, and cut out his three daughters from his first marriage.

Lawyers for his daughters Giuliana, Lorenza and Cristina had already said they planned to contest the will but this new probe is a separate investigation by Italian prosecutors.

Pesaro prosecutor Massimo Di Patria is heading the investigation which was sparked by an interview given by notary official Luciano Buonanno.

He had described how he had met Pavarotti at his seaside villa at Pesaro, close to his home town of Modena, in July to go over the American will.

Mr Buonanno, told an Italian glossy weekly: "One thing I remember that day is how cold the lady of the house (Nicoletta) was.

"She appeared very nervous and acknowledged my greeting without even shaking my hand and then she left for the beach.

"At an earlier meeting I hadn't been happy about some points of the American will but I was told that it had all been sorted by his lawyers and I was not to change anything."

Mr Buonanno had added that he had tried to intervene several times and ask Pavarotti about aspects of the will but the "lawyers intervened."

He said:"Whenever I asked Pavarotti about the American assets the lawyers would intervene. I asked about the value of some furniture and they said it was worth $100,000 (£50,000GBP)

"Pavarotti rolled his eyes and said I believe they are worth much more."

Mr Buonanno added that he had always been dubious of the US will which was drawn up and signed just weeks before he died on September 6.

The accusation being investigated is circumvention of a person of unsound mind by persons unknown in other words that Pavarotti was coerced into signing what he did and had no idea what he was signing.

As part of his probe prosecutor Di Mattia will speak to medical assistants who were with Pavarotti, as well as Mr Buonanno and members of the tenor's family.

Prosecutor Di Patria confirmed he had opened an investigation and said: "Certain declarations have been made and as such they have to be investigated.

"What is being suggested is very serious and it my job to examine this claims and see if there is a case to answer for.

"It is still very early days and that is why the investigation is for persons unknown but what I will be looking at is if to see Pavarotti was coerced into signing of which he had no idea he was signing because of his state of mind.

"I will be speaking to witnesses including the lawyer, medical staff and others but I am not prepared to say when." If the case proceeded to a full trial the charge carries a penalty of between two and six years in jail.

Today/yesterday Nicoletta's lawyer Giorgio Bernini said: "I find this accusation deeply offensive to the memory of Luciano Pavarotti the insinuation that his legal team made him sign something he had no idea he was signing is disgusting."

Pavarotti's London based agent Terri Robson was unavailable for comment. The news of the probe comes just days after it emerged that Pavarotti had debts of more than £12 million.